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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
Published on: April 16, 2014
Mechanical invariants are implicated in dynamic touch as a function of their salience in the stimulus flow
Rolf van de Langenberg1, Idsart Kingma, Peter J Beek
1Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit and Istitute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands. r.vdlangenberg@fbw.vu.nl
Abstract:
The authors investigated the mechanical basis of length perception through dynamic touch using specially designed rods in which the various moments of mass distribution (mass, static moment, and rotational inertia) were varied independently. In a series of 4 experiments, exploration style and rod orientation were manipulated such that the relative salience of moments of mass distribution varied markedly. Results showed that perceived length was based on the most salient moments. The authors concluded that the notion of salience is crucial for understanding the implication of moments of mass distribution in length perception and that it should play a pivotal role in developing an encompassing theory of dynamic touch.
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